Say What Kareoke?
by Redhood79
Summary: Buffy and the gang go to L.A. and a certain demon bar. UNFINISHED
1. It begins

Say What Kareoke?

Summary: Buffy and the gang head to L. A. and visit a certain Kareoke bar. There is a bit of BTVS/Angel crossover, but no reunion type thing. The guys are there only to have fun!

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, Joss Whedon and UPN do. Though Christmas is coming soon, hint, hint! ;) Also, I don't own any of the songs used in this fan fic. 

This story takes place during the 6th season.

Author's note: This is made to be somewhat humorous, though I'm better at drama and romance. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was a Friday night in Sunnydale. The Scooby Gang were hanging out in the living room of the Summer's house. Dawn was channel surfing, with no luck. Nothing good was ever on, on Friday. "Man, this place is dead," Xander said. "Oh, thanks," Buffy said. 

"That's not what I meant. Usually something's happening!"

"He's right," Willow sighed. "We're on a Hellmouth....and it's less...helly."

"Less helly?" They all looked at her. "What?! I'm not Giles okay! I can't do the whole witty thing! I do the whole uncomfortable with the situation thing!"

"I think your witty, honey," Tara said. "Xander, I'm bored, entertain me, " Anya said. "Uh, okay.... We could play surades."

"Boo!"

"Is that the best you could come up with?" Buffy asked. "My brains in my feet here, okay." Buffy sighed. "Maybe I should go out patrolling again."

"You went patrolling three times tonight," Dawn said. "Nuh-huh, two, that last one didn't count 'cause I was really going window shopping. I saw a cute pair of boots!" They were all silent for awhile. 

"I know!" They all jumped. "Oh, sorry," Tara said. "Well what's the idea? I mean the know?" Dawn asked. "Well, I was reading up in my Wicca Newsletter...."

"They have a Wicca Newsletter?" Xander asked. "Shhhh!"

"Yea, anyway, there's this place in L. A., a demon bar, for humans too I mean. The owners called the Host and he gives free soul readings."

"Really? Cool!"

"L. A.? I don't know," Buffy said. "Come on, Buff. We haven't been on a road trip since....well ever!" Dawn begged. "Well, I guess we could drop in for just a day or two, its only two hours to L. A."

"It sounds like fun," Willow agreed. "I don't know, I'm afraid I already know what the guys gonna say," Xander said. "What could be so bad, Xander?"  


"I'm a useless idiot with no purpose in life and I'm a futile waste of human DNA....Hey! I just sounded intelligent! Bring that Host on!"

"There's a catch," Tara breathed. They all looked at her. "You have too," she stuttered a bit," sing."

"What?!"

"What the heck do you mean?" Anya questioned. "It's like a Kareoke bar, you have to sing first." They all looked at each other. "That would be fun," Dawn finally said. "No way!" Willow declared. "No way no how! I can't.....that was my nightmare remember!"

"You should overcome you fears, Will," Buffy said. "Are you going to sing?" Buffy pressed her lips together. "Huh?" She grumbled something. "What was that, we didn't catch it, Buffy?" Xander lifted a hand to his ear to mock her. "I said if you all agree to sing I'll do it too!"

"I...I...think it would be a fun time, too," Tara spoke up. "Yea, okay, why not, embarrassing myself doesn't seem so bad, I've done it a million times," Xander agreed. "Okay, let's leave tomorrow," Buffy said. "We can stay the night and the day after," Dawn said all enthused. "We must really be desperate for something to do if we're going all the way to L. A., " Willow said. "That and the author is trying to put us in a uncompromising situation," Anya added. 

"What?"

"Nothing."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Okay, everybody ready?" Xander asked. They were outside, loitering in the drive way of the Summer's house the following day. It was around 3 o'clock. "Yep!"

"We'll see you guys there!" Dawn waved from the porch. "What?" Buffy was confused. "What do you mean?"

"Well, Spike's coming, too. I thought he needed some company."

"Who said _he_ was coming?" Xander glared at him. Spike was standing on the porch smoking a cigarette. He glared back at Harris. "Well, you know, British guys have good singing voices, and we can't leave him alone all weekend."

"Yea, I'd die without your intellectual conversations," he said sarcastically. 

"And how exactly are you getting there?" Buffy asked. "Spike's motorcycle, of course."

"What?! No way, it's bad enough you're going with Spike-"

"It's bad enough Spike's coming," Xander said. "Shut up, Harris."

"Oh, why don't you make me! Oh, wait, you can't, you'll turn into a pile of dust!"

"Xander."

"Yea, Buff?"

"Shut up," she continued, " You are not riding on a motorcycle! You'll come with us in the car." Xander grinned. Both Dawn and Spike became sullen. "Well, it's not fair to leave Spike alone! He gets bored too."

"You're right," Buffy said. "Spike, you can come in the car with us." Spike grinned. Xander stopped smiling. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Xander, can't you go any faster?"

"It's traffic, Buffy," he replied. "There's hardly any!"

"I told you he drives like a snail driving slow," Anya said. 

Xander and Anya were in the front seat. Tara, Willow, Buffy, Dawn, and Spike were squished into the back seat. They had taped up the back windows with wax paper. Dawn was sitting on Buffy's lap; part of her was leaning against Spike, who didn't seem to care too much. Being dead, he had gotten used to being in small spaces for long periods of time.

"We'd like to get there before the next millenium," Willow groaned. She put her arm behind Tara to get more comfortable. 

"Hey, It's my car, anyone who doesn't like it get out. I will not tolerate back seat driving!" 

They all shut up.

"Are we there yet?" Anya asked. "Bloody hell," Spike grunted.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It took them three hours to get there thanks to Xander's driving. It was 6:20 when they arrived in L. A. and stopped for lunch at a Blue Burrito, a very good fast food mexican restaurant. Spike had to stay in the car since the sun had not entirely set yet. He had brought his flask with him and was taking sips from it. Buffy wasn't sure if it was blood or brandy he was drinking. 

The club didn't open until eight. So they had some time to kill. Tara and Willow had gone to a cute boutique down the street after they ate. "Think I should get some new clothes?" Dawn asked. The only outfits she had with her were the one she was wearing, the one she brought for tomorrow, and a dress, just incase she wanted to change. "You look fine, besides, you don't want to draw a lot of attention," Buffy said. She nodded. 

"Well, the cover charge is five bucks, plus drinks are free tonight if you sing. Some sort of reopening, the place got trashed or something," Xander said as he walked up to them. "Might I mention that none of you are actually legalized to drink, yet somehow you always manage to get drinks," Spike yelled from the car. "We have a lucky alcohol fairy," Xander joked. "Shut up, Harris."

"Why do you say that every time I speak?"

"Because I hate to hear you talk, I'd rather you stop speaking all together. Anything that comes out of your mouth is hot air."

"Know what? I think we should just leave him here when we go home," he said turning back to Buffy and Dawn. "Be nice," Buffy. "He can baby-sit Dawn."

"Hey! I don't need a baby-sitter!"

"They might not even let you in," Buffy reminded her. Dawn scowled and walked to the car. 

"It's okay, little bit, if they don't let you in we can go tear up the town."

"As far as your chip will allow," she pointed out. "Oh, we'll be able to cause enough trouble all right.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dawn was walking on air. They had let her in. Mostly because Spike said she was a 500 year old Assimilate demon. The place was humming with demons and human alike. There were cool neon lights around the bar and cute little round tables with bar stools, as well as booths in the corner. They had gotten two tables next to each other near the center front of the stage. 

A green demon with red eyes and horns was up on stage singing "Hooked on a Feeling". He was dressed in a cheesy disco outfit. Someone had said he was the Host.

Buffy had learned that music wasn't a obsession with all of his clan of demons. He had opened the place as a refuge for demons, hence the no demon violence spell that was enforced, which was changed to a no violence period spell. 

"Look at all these songs," Anya said. Her and Tara were looking through the song menu.

"They have any recent ones?" Dawn asked. "You can sing anything you want as long as you how to play it or a CD of it," Tara told her. "I signed us up to do a duet, Xander," Anya said walking back to the table. "What?!"

"I said 'I signed-"

"I heard you the first time! Why?"  


"Because, it'll be fun, I already picked the song."

"Oh god, Anya!"

"Xander, we all agreed we'd sing if everyone else would," Willow reminded him. "Yea, but I don't want to sing _first_!" he squeaked. "Come on, Harris, don't be such a baby."

The Host came up on the stage. "Next up, a duet by Anya Smith and Xander Harris, all the way from Sunnydale."

"Get it over and done with," Buffy said. "Easy for you to say!" Xander growled as Anya dragged him onto the stage.

End of Part 1


	2. Xander and Anya's Song

Say What Kareoke?

Summary: Buffy and the gang head to L. A. and visit a certain Kareoke bar. The guys are there only to have fun!

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, Joss Whedon and UPN do. David Bowie owns the song.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Xander's palms were sweating, he had dropped the microphone two times already even before they had started singing. "Smile, Xander," Anya poked him. This was her way of getting back at him for not telling anybody about the engagement. Sure he had agree with the others that he would sing, but he hadn't _actually _intended to sing! The music started up. Anya seemed surprisingly calm. Big wow.

Xander started to sing the words that appeared on the screen.

__

I, I will be king and you, you will be queen  
Though nothing will drive them away

We can beat them, just for one day  
We can be Heroes, just for one day

Anya sang the next verse:

__

And you, you can be mean  
And I, I'll drink all the time  
'Cause we're lovers, and that is a fact

Then together:

__

Yes we're lovers, and that is that

Though nothing, will keep us together  
We could steal time, just for one day  
We can be Heroes, for ever and ever

Anya_:_

What d'you say?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Willow and Tara were laughing into their hands. Dawn's face was red from trying not to laugh, but she finally burst out, laughing so loud that Xander looked down at her and gave her a look. A _shut the hell up _look. Spike had a smile of pure gleeon his face. 

Xander's voice was way off key. Plus when he was supposed to sing a high note he just sang louder. Anya's voice was a shocker. It was better than they thought it would be_. _They all expected it to be _murder_. It was pretty good. Up until it started cracking. 

"We should have brought a bloody video camera," Spike sniggered. "Or a tape recorder," Tara said. "Not that we'd want to hear this ever again!" Dawn grinned. "It's a sound that cannot be duplicated by the human mouth," Buffy joked. She took a sip of her drink. Anya's voice cracked again and she choked. They all flinched.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

__

Though nothing... nothing will keep us together  
We can beat them, for ever and ever  
Oh we can be Heroes, just for one day

And we kissed, as though nothing could fall   
And the shame.... was on the other side  
Oh we can beat them...for ever and ever  
Then we could be Heroes, just for one day  
  
We're nothing, and nothing will help us  
Maybe we're lying....then you better not stay  
But we could be safer.... just for one day!

Anya's voice cracked again on the last note. The audience clapped, though most of them were just being polite. The Host waved them over to the table he was sitting at. A Denizen demon got up on stage and started to sing "Roxanne".

"Nice choice for you two love birds," he said as they sat down. "Though next time I recommend you two don't sing together, let the audience go tone deaf a little at a time."

"Yea, whatever," Xander grumbled. "Aren't you a happy little camper."

"So, how does this work?" Anya asked. "Do we have to tell you when we're born or who our parents were and stuff?"

"Nope, I just read your aura, sweetheart."

"Good, because I don't remember either of those things."

"Hell, your older than me. You're one of D'Hoffryn's kids aren't you?"

"Why, yes," she blushed slightly. "Was!" Xander pointed out. "She's an ex-vengeance demon, _ex_!"

"Why do you always sound like that?!" she raised her voice a bit. People turned to look at them. "Keep it down, Anya," Xander whispered. "Why do I always sound like what?"

"Like you're ashamed of me having been a demon."

"Well let's see, maybe because I am," he replied, with a little more malice in his voice than he had meant. "Well I'm not ashamed of you being a construction worker!"

"I wasn't the one cursing people," he muttered. "You see what I have to put up with," she turned to the Host. "Yea, the guys a train wreck," he replied. "Hey!" Xander had a tone of outrage in his voice. 

"Do you see us getting married anytime soon?" she asked, changing the subject. 

"Hmmmm..."

"I knew it," she sighed. "What? I proposed, weddings take a long time to plan."  


"That's not the problem," the Host said. "He won't tell anyone, he won't let me tell anyone either. At first he was like 'Buffy just died,' then 'Buffy just got back,' now she's been back and she's fine!" She waved her hand over to the table where Buffy was sitting, laughing at something Spike said. "Everything's fine."

"Anya, we talked about this-"

"I'm tired of talking about it, we've talked about it to death!"

"Whoa boy," the Host put up a hand. "The Zeppo here has a lot of issues, plus you're just kids really, well...he is."

"The Zeppo...hey-"

"You two have a long way to go that's for sure. Might not even be together." Anya hit Xander with the back of her hand on his shoulder, hard. "Ow! What the hell was that for?" 

"You're going to dump me!"

"How do we know you won't dump me?"

"Why would I dump you, I love you!" After a minute she spoke, "I just want to know if he's really ready for marriage, and not because he was afraid I was going to leave."

"Anya, I was never afraid you were going to leave...until you mentioned it."

"Shut up," she said. "Well, he has a point there, but....the boys not really ready. Plus there's the whole....how do I put this....his immatureness."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"God, that guy really shouldn't come out for public appearances," Dawn said. "His teeth put the British to shame," Buffy joined with the mockery. Suddenly Anya swept past their table, looks fading from anger to sadness, and ran into the bathroom. A minute later Xander came back to the table, he had a sourpuss appeal. He hunched over the table. Everyone pretended to be absorbed in drinking their drink. After the next song Anya came out and sat down again. She took the seat next to Tara and Willow.

__

Well, if they don't want to talk about it I won't ask, Buffy thought._ I'll be here for them if they need me though._ Love was never easy for the Slayer and her Slayerettes.

Willow was the one to speak first. "Who wants to go next?" They all looked around the table at each other. "Oh, bloody hell, you're all a bunch of pansies," Spike said putting his cigarette out. He got up from his seat. "You're gonna sing?" Xander seemed surprised. "Why not? I can't be any worse than you two, sound like a couple of Gilkar demons mating." He walked over to the side of the stage.

"What's a Gilkar?" Dawn asked. "Something that must sound horrible when it's mating," Tara whispered. "I heard that," Xander said. "This should be interesting," Willow said. Buffy nodded and looked over to the stage.

End of Part 2

  
  



	3. Spike's Song

Say What Kareoke?

Pre- Once More With Feeling

Summary: Buffy and the gang head to L. A. and visit a certain Kareoke bar. The guys are there only to have fun!

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, Joss Whedon and UPN do. Don't own the song either. Edwin Mcllan(spelling?) does. I picked this song because I really like it and it kind of has a little theme to the whole Buffy/Spike romance :)

A/N: If the song lyrics look arranged all funny it's because my Microsoft word was acting up. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Think he'll be any good?" Dawn asked. "Oh, who cares? He can't be any worse than those two," Buffy motioned to Anya and Xander. "Hey!"

"Shhh! He's starting," Tara whispered. They all grew quiet. Spike was sitting on a stool in the middle of the stage, a guitar in his lap. "He can play the guitar?" Xander asked. 

"Shhhh!!"

He began to sing:

__

The strands in your eyes, that color them wonderful _ Stop me and steal my breath_ _ Emeralds from mountains, thrust towards the sky_ _ Never revealing their depth_

_ Tell me, that we belong together Dress it up with the trippings of love I'll be captivated, I'll hang from your lips Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above_

I'll be your crying shoulder I'll be love suicide I'll be better when I'm older I'll be the greatest fan of your life

It wasn't a really hard song to sing, so Spike wondered why he was having a hard time singing. Well, duh. The answer was sitting right in front of him.

__

Rain falls, angry on the tin roof As we lie awake in my bed

You're my survival, you're my living proof My love is alive and not dead

God, was he pathetic. She had made it perfectly clear he would never _ever_ have a chance with her. Well, that's the funny thing about love. It's love. Even if the person hates your guts or wants you dead, or dust in his case, you still stay, because you love them. You understand you might never be together but you stay. Your life's not even yours anymore, it belongs to them. Every heartbeat, breath. Your not even living. In Spike's case this was literal. His life and breath had been taken long ago. He didn't care. Who wants to be alive, having to bother to remember to breathe. But she did have something of his. Something that he did want back a little. He believed with all his unbeating heart that Buffy had his soul. What he needed to be worthy of her. She had his soul and she didn't even know it. She sat there, smiling at something Dawn said, laughing. 

__

Tell me, that we belong together Dress it up with the trippings of love I'll be captivated, I'll hang from your lips Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above

I've dropped out, burned up, fought my way back from the dead Tuned in turned on, remembered the things that you said 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Spike finished the first verse and went into the chorus. Buffy wasn't sure if the whole place went quiet or if she had just forced her ears to shut everything else out but his voice. It made her feel.....safe, warm. She couldn't remember the last time she'd felt like this. Of course she could, she thought about it every waking moment. The place that was getting so hard to remember, images slipping away so fast, like a dream.

Dawn loved this song. It sounded even better when Spike sang it. She wasn't the only one who thought so. She looked around the table. They were all captivated by his voice. All expect for Xander, that is. "Oh, please," he guffawed. "Shhh," Willow hushed him. "What?! He's.....okay...I'll admit, but not that good!" 

"Shut up!" Tara whispered.

That surprised both Willow and Xander. "What? You know I like British singer's, honey. I have all those U2 CDs."

"He's good," Dawn said. Buffy felt herself smile and nod, taking her eyes off the stage for the first time since the vampire took the stage. Dawn took a sip of her drink and smiled to herself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"God, all you vampires dress alike," the green demon laughed. "Nice duster, know a friend who has one like it." Spike rolled his eyes. Like this guy was dressed any better? The '80 are over pal. "You don't have to bother, most of us fang gang don't have souls."

"Not yet anyway. You have an aura though, not as good but I can tell what I need to." Spike looked at the Host. "What do you mean not yet?"

"Well, now look who's interested. Sit down." He motioned to the chair next to him. "I have the chip, is that it. Not biting people, helping the helpless."

"The chip hardly had anything to do with it. It was a start. You were still pretty bad with it in place."

"Yea," he looked over to where Buffy was sitting. The Host laughed. "No wonder, I think I know why. Turns vampires to mush instead of killing them."

"Oh, bug off."

"Hey, just trying to help. It's gonna take you awhile." Spike was silent for a moment. "You mean it, I can really get a...a..."

"A one way ticket to broodville? Yep." Spike nodded. He'd heard what he needed to. "Come back anytime, even if you don't have a soul yet. Not all vampires are as good singers as you," the host called after him.

Willow was whispering something in Tara's ear that made her laugh. Everyone else at the table was quiet when Spike took his seat. Dawn couldn't help noticing that Buffy didn't look up when Spike sat down. 

Buffy tried her best to fill the akward silence. "Did any of you try the potato skins? They're really good!"

"I think they taste like cardboard," Dawn said. "Yea, but carboard with cheese and bacon and a high calorie content. 

Willow yawned, "Guess we should call it a night, huh?"

"Not so fast! The rest of you have to sing," Xander reminded her. "Oh, come on!"

"Don't be such a wimp Will, you know what they say, you got to face your fears," Buffy trilled. "Fine then you sing next." Buffy's eyes went wide. "I'll go!" They turned surprised eyes towards Dawn. "It's no biggy," then after a minute,"If any of you ever mention this to anybody....you'll die a slow, agonizing death." they watched after her. "So I guess homicide runs in the family," where the first words spoken after, by Anya.

End of Part 3 

  
  



End file.
